Wessel Designhttp://www.wesseldesign.com/blog
Four Generations of Design & BuildingTue, 20 Oct 2015 01:32:23 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2Winkler Residencehttp://www.wesseldesign.com/blog/?p=248
http://www.wesseldesign.com/blog/?p=248#commentsSun, 19 Oct 2014 23:08:44 +0000Kerrikhttp://www.wesseldesign.com/blog/?p=248Another Golden Valley addition project, this time it is a 70′s rambler walk out that needs help. The couple had done a really nice job renovating the kitchen and inside but the lower add-on isn’t working well for them plus the roof of the add-on is an eyesore. The challenge is to get rid of the add-on, rework the circulation by adding a better central stair and build a new master bedroom addition. The backyard needs some definition as well and an addition will help create better exterior spaces.

Before

Before

Before

The owners didn’t want the addition to stand out as too different than their existing house but they were open to something more modern. The design of the addition uses hip roofs like the original house but uses them in a different way. The model shows the roof slopes as similar, but the end hip roof continues down farther than the original roof to bring the scale of the 2 story addition lower to the ground. Also, instead of the dated overhangs, we decided to make the new addition more modern and crisp by eliminating the overhangs in favor of a more sculptural look. I thought it would also by nice to conceal the new deck structure with decorative concrete blocks which are represented by the green wall in the model. There would be storage underneath the deck for any lawn and garden equipment.

The Bed Box is a sleeping pavilion consisting of red plastic solar panels. It is a small retreat that glows like a lantern and provides task lights for reading at night. There will be an outlet for a computer as well. All of the electricity is supplied by the red plastic panels and stored in batteries under the floor. The inner space will formed by attaching white translucent panels to the wooden frame. These walls will frame views at both ends of the box. The ends can also be closed when not in use.

There are many fascinating elements of this North Shore site, from the dense, delicate treescape to the bold geology of the shoreline basalt. But one of the most stunning surprises is the colorful, elegant blankets of lichen and mosses that cover the gray rocks, ground and trees throughout the site. The biology of lichen is fascinating as it is the symbioses of two organisms—a fungus and an algae—creating a completely unique structure. They thrive in the most inhospitable climates and create the most painterly patterns and colors as they spread. In the harsh climate of the North Shore, these beautiful layers, textures and compositions look very much like protective quilts, buffering the site.

Following this concept, the diagram of the house is a simple gray mass that hovers above the ground and rock outcroppings. To preserve the site and minimize excavation, the slope to the lake is unobstructed by utilizing pier footings. On the exterior, there is a simple layering of brightly colored accent materials in key locations. A wrapping, protective canopy at the entrance; a low layer at the kitchen to allow for storage on a predominantly glass wall; a privacy screen at the master bedroom.
On the interior, rooms are also created by the wrapping of material. This plan concept allows for a pavillion-like space within the house. This permeability of spaces along with extensive glass walls maintains a strong indoor-outdoor connection.

]]>http://www.wesseldesign.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=1770Parasol Modular Furniturehttp://www.wesseldesign.com/blog/?p=170
http://www.wesseldesign.com/blog/?p=170#commentsTue, 18 Oct 2011 19:03:19 +0000Kerrikhttp://www.wesseldesign.com/blog/?p=170The carport I built in the spring of 2011 has been dismantled and the pieces from the carport have been turned into furniture to help fund the next Parasol Modular experiment. Pictured are some of the different types of furniture pieces that will be for sale on www.kickstarter.com. beginning November 1, 2011.